Friday, January 29, 2010

Bolsa Chica footbridge being installed

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, Calif., stands out as prime wetlands for birding. Birders from around the country stop by the wetlands along PCH while in Southern California. I've had the pleasure of seeing Long-billed Curlews and other fine species there with Mike Bergin of 10,000 Birds while a business trip brought him to my stomping grounds.

The long-awaited Bolsa Chica footbridge to connect the North Parking Lot with the Bolsa Chica Mesa finally arrived about 9 p.m. on January 12 after a long, slow journey from its manufacturing origin in Arizona. The 145-foot-long structure was fabricated of high-strength tubular steel and weighed about 70,000 lbs. It will be considerably heavier when its concrete floor and other structures are added in the coming weeks. Only then, following a ribbon cutting ceremony, will it be open to the public.

About 60 onlookers stood in a light drizzle on the morning of the 13th to witness the installation of the bridge onto its concrete footings. Once in use, the bridge will eliminate the need for visitors to Bolsa Chica to use the bicycle lane on Warner Avenue, inches from heavy, fast-moving traffic, to get to the mesa.